The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, yesterday appeared before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he was grilled over allegations of financial impropriety.
The anti-graft agency has also secured an order to freeze three bank accounts belonging to Obasa.
EFCC, in a matter filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, with suit number; FHC/L/CS/1069/2020, sought an ex-parte order to freeze Obasa’s three bank accounts with the Standard Chartered Bank pending the conclusion of an ongoing investigation into the allegations of diversion of funds, abuse of office and money laundering levelled against him.
The ruling was issued on September 15 and was signed by the court’s registrar, Ms. Adebimpe Oni.
The account details as contained in the order include a United States Dollar account with number 001852963; current account (0018552956) and a savings account (5002349821).
The anti-graft agency said it filed the matter “Pursuant to section 44 (2) (K) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and section 26, 29, and 34 (1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, and under the inherent jurisdiction of this honourable court.”
Meanwhile, Obasa yesterday appeared before the EFCC over allegations of financial impropriety.
Obasa appeared before the EFCC with his lawyers and some members of the assembly.
An unidentified lady, who was said to have acted as personal assistant to the speaker was also questioned by officials of the anti-graft agency.
Obasa, who is a two-time speaker of the assembly, has been facing several allegations of corruption.
Civil society organisations had petitioned the EFCC to carry out a comprehensive investigation on the allegations.
The speaker had some months ago appeared before the House panel of enquiry on corruption allegations levelled against him.
He was still undergoing interrogation by operatives of the anti-graft agency as at the time of filing this report.
Spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the speaker was with the EFCC on the invitation of the commission.
“He came in the morning. He came on the invitation of the commission and he is with us,” he said.
He could not say how long he would be in EFCC or when he would be released.
The speaker has in the last few months been enmeshed in controversies over allegations of his involvement in contract scandals, money laundering, among others.
Obasa has denied the allegations.
